Train signaling apparatus



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. M; HENRY 8: R. B. WILSON.

TRAIN SIGNALING APPARATUS.

Patented Sept. 6, 1892.

WITNESSES luvsm'ons;

ma nmm PETERS cm. more-mum, WASHINGTON, n. c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. M.HENRY & R. B. WILSON.

TRAIN SIGNALING'A PPARATUS.

No. 482,126. Patented Sept. 6, 189 2 I I/ I l/ IIII IIIII INVENTORSZ WITN E85 ES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. HENRY, WILMERDING, AND ROBERT B. \VILSON, OF ALTOONA,

PENNSYLVANIA.

TRAIN SIGNALING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 482,126, dated September 6, 1892.

Application filed December 23, 1891. Serial No. 415,949. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern: moves in a valve-chamber 22, into which leads Be it known that we, JAMES M. HENRY, of the port 23, and from one side of the cylinder Wilmerding, Allegheny county, and ROBERT leads the port 24 to the whistle or other B. \VILSON, of Altoona, in the county of Blair, signal to be operated. 5 State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new The action of this portion of the system is and useful Improvement in Train Signaling as follows: A contact being made which com- Apparatus, of which the following is a full, pletes the circuitthrough the electro-magnets, clear, and exact description, reference being the armature is drawn to the faces 5 and the had to the accompanying drawings, forming lower end of the lever? pushes open the valve 10 part of this specification, in which 7 11, upon which action the motive fluid passes Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of through the port 14 into the cylinder 15 and the operative parts of the signal. Fig. 2 is an by the piston 16 opens the valve 20. The moend view of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 are top tive fluid then passes through the port 23into plan and longitudinal sectional views, respectcontact with the opposite face of the piston 1'5 ively, of the electrical coupling. Fig. 5 is a 16 and through the port 24 to the whistle, and sectional view of the circuit-closer, and Fig. operates the same. The pressure on the 6 is adiagram view showing the train connecside of the piston 16 which is toward the tions. valve 20 being, however, slightly in excess of Like symbols of reference indicate like parts that upon the opposite side on account of its 20 in each of the figures. larger area, this piston 16 is depressed. As

Our invention relates to that class of sigsoon as it is depressed the spring pushes the nals which are employed upon moving trains valve 20 to its seat and the fluid passing for enabling the conductor to signal to the through the port 14 repeats the operation, engineer from any part of the train; and it causing a series of short interrupted sounds 25 consists in an improved combination whereupon the signal. It is evident that by makby the agencies of electricity and compressed ing the area of the two faces of the piston 16 air or steam are utilized to produce a cheap, exactly equal it may be maintained in equisimple, and highly-efficient signal. librium as long as the current is closed, thus In the accompanying drawings, Figs. 1 and giving a continuous sound upon the signal.

3o 2, 2 2 are two electromagnets having the Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, which show the usual core-pieces 3 3, which at their lower ends electrical coupling employed between the cars, are supported upon the cross-piece 4 and at 25 represents the flexible hose through which their upper ends are provided with flat faces the wires pass from each car to the coupling 5 5, adapted to be contacted with by the ar proper 26, which coupling, as shown, is made 35 mature 6, which is fastened to the pivoted in the form of the ordinary air-brake couplever 7. This lever is pivoted between the ling and is composed of vulcanized fiber or two electro-inagnet-s to the arms 8 and is norsome similar non-conductor. The wire 27 mally held by a spring 9 in such position that separates into two branches within this coupthe armature is out of contact with the coreling, one branch of the wire passing to the 40 pieces 3. In contact with the lower end of= annular ring 28, through which passes the the lever is the protruding stem 10 of a valve movable button 29, which is normally heldin 11, which moves in the recess 12. Into this its uppermost position by a spring 30. The recess leads the part 13, and from around the other branch leads to a contact-piece 31, with valve-stem 10, which is grooved to allow the which a similar piece upon the other half of 5 5 passage of the compressed air or steam, leads the coupling contacts when the cars are the exit-port 14 into the cylinder 15. The coupled together. The other Wire 32 passes piston 16, which moves in this cylinder, is proin contact with a secondannular ring 33, vided with a guiding-stem 17 and on the opwithin which the button 29, having a non-conposite side with a boss 18, arranged to lift the ducting top portion 29', moves and passes [06 5o stem 19 of a valve 20, which is pressed into thence to the contact-piece 34. As the rings closed position by a spring 21. The valve 20 2S and 33 and the button 29 are of conducting material, it is evident that the circuit is completed through this half-coupling by the rings and button. When, however, the next car is coupled thereto, the buttons upon the two halves push each other back out of contact with the rings 28 and the circuit is then completed through the contact-pieces 31 and 34. In each car is located the transmitter of Fig. 5, to which the branch wires lead from the main circuit, and when the cord passing through the ring 35 is pulled it, through the bell-crank lever 36, moves the plunger 37 against the contact-piece 38 and completes inserted in the coupling at theendof the last car to break the circuit, and it is evident that it through any accident the train becomes parted the button 29 upon the last car being released moves upward'and completes the circuitan'd operates the signal, thus giving'warning of the separating of thetrain. Moreover, in coupling up atrain the alarm sounds until each car is coupled, when it ceases, thus showing the engineer that the car is coupled. As thecircuit is normally broken, there is not a constant drainupon the battery, as insystems wherein the circuit is normally closed.

It is obvious that many variations may be made in the form and arrangement of the parts without departure from our invention, which we regard as lying broadly'in a signal system wherein thecircuitis normally broken.

The advantages of our construction areevident. The entire system is simple and not liable to get out of order and does away with the present costly and cumbersome pne umaticsignal system.

What we claim is- 1. A sounder having an admission-port leading thereto, a main valve controlling said port, a piston bearing against the main-valve stem-,abranch passage leading to said piston, a valve controlling said passage, and an electrically-operated lever bearing upon the valve .in the branch passage, substantially as and which one of the wires cont-acts,a movable button within the bushing,and a ring-to which a branch wirefrom the other wire leads and arranged to contact with'the movable button, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 28th day of November, A. D. 1891.

JAMES M. HENRY.

ROBERT B. WILSON.

Witnesses:

W. B. CQRWIN, H. L. GILL. 

